Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to biosensors and the detection of analyte molecules, and more specifically to devices and methods that incorporate an affinity molecule capable of specifically binding or interacting with an analyte and a module capable of providing microwave and or RF electromagnetic radiation. Embodiments of the present invention additionally relate to arrays of biomolecules and using microwave and or RF electromagnetic radiation.
Background Information
Assay methods based on molecular recognition events are ubiquitous throughout the biochemical and chemical analysis disciplines. In general, molecular recognition events are events in which a first molecule selectively forms a complex with a second molecule (or more than one molecule) through a molecular recognition event. The detection of the complex formation event can allow for the detection and quantification of an analyte from a complex mixture of species. Molecular recognition events are the foundation of biochemical interactions both in vivo and in vitro and a large variety of natural, synthetic, and semi-synthetic molecules exist that are capable of participating in a molecular recognition event. Molecules capable of participating in molecular recognition events are said to have an affinity for each other. For example, common affinity molecules include antibodies that are capable of selectively recognizing an antigen and nucleic acid hybridizations in which a first nucleic acid (such as a DNA or RNA molecule) selectively recognizes and binds to a second complementary nucleic acid.
In an exemplary antibody assay, an antibody molecule that is specific for a desired analyte is attached to a solid surface. In general antibodies are proteins that can be found in blood or other bodily fluids of vertebrates and are part of the immune system's ability to recognize and neutralize invading organisms such as bacteria and viruses. An antibody typically contains two regions that are capable of selectively recognizing an antigen molecule. The molecular recognition event has been described as a being similar to the way a lock recognizes a key. Antibodies can be produced, for example by injecting an antigen into a mammal and isolating the antibody from the blood of the mammal, or in vitro, for example, from hybridoma cells that are created from an antibody-secreting lymphocyte cell. A solution to be analyzed for the presence or absence of an analyte is contacted with the surface having an antibody attached. The solution to be analyzed is then removed from the surface of the substrate and the presence or absence of the analyte bound to the antibody on the substrate surface is detected. Commonly the presence or absence of an analyte is detected by allowing a second labeled antibody specific for the analyte of interest to react with the substrate surface, removing any un-complexed second antibody, and detecting the presence of the label (such as a fluorescent molecule). This type of assay is sometimes called a sandwich assay because the analyte is sandwiched between two antibodies. Similarly, detection of the presence of antibodies to a particular bacterium or virus in a bodily fluid from a patient can be indicative of the presence of infection by the virus or bacterium. In this case, an antigenic portion of a bacterium or virus might be immobilized on a substrate surface and the presence (or absence) of an antibody from a patient's bodily fluid that reacted with the immobilized antigen would be detected.
Molecular recognition events involving nucleic acids are commonly performed using arrays of nucleic acids that are capable of selectively recognizing complementary nucleic acids. For example, oligonucleotide microarrays can be used to monitor gene expression and discover genotypes and mutations in a massively parallel manner. Proteinaceous microarrays provide the ability, for example, to characterize the molecular progression of disease, research cellular pathways, and perform high throughput screening in drug discovery applications. Similarly, peptide-containing arrays can serve as molecular probes for a variety of biological events, such as for example, the arrays can serve as antigens for antibody-antigen systems, ligands for cell receptor-ligand systems, and substrates for enzyme-protein systems. The ability to collect large volumes of information is an integral part of biomarker discovery and the personalization of medicine. Further, other applications in bioscience, such as for example, the analysis of the proteomic content of an organism, disease detection, pathogen detection, environmental protection, food safety, and biodefense are capable of benefiting from tools that allow rapid multiplexed interrogation of analyte samples.